Chosen Solution

My iPhone is constantly searching for a signal and never finds one. We’ve tried everything, resets, we’ve checked the SIM card, we’ve checked for Carrier updates, I’ve even replaced the cellular antenna and still it won’t work. Any one have any clues?

If you have already tried the antenna fix, the Software fix, the charging port fix, housing swap, etc…keep reading… Over the last year, I have had many of these come across my bench and the majority 8 of 10 (Guestimate) have been the Baseband IC. Dial *#06# you should see the IMEI, IF Not, then this just may work for you. You will also want to look for Modem Firmware version in settings to see if it is listed, if not, then I would look at U_PMICRF Baseband power management IC. also, if imei is there,modem firmware is there, it could be one of these 3: U_ASM_RF antenna switch module ic chip, WTR1625L Transceiver chip IC U_WTR_RF, or Receiver IC U_WFR_RF WFR1620 I suggest (If you have the experience and tools) that you remove the Logic board and the shield next to Sim Tray off. (The one closest to the battery connection, not near LCD Connectors). Then you have a few options:

  1. A temp fix that does work as a bandaid fix, reflow the baseband IC somewhere near 340C to 360C
  2. Remove the baseband IC and reball it, also running short jumpers on the U1 and V1 pads (Not a permanent fix but much better than the reflow)
  3. Same as number 2 but run long jumpers from the U1 and V1 pads. This requires removing the Sim Tray to get to one of the destination points and pretty difficult to reuse the tray as there is alot of plastic in it. the other jumper goes to the back side of the board. Here is a video referred to me by @refectio of Chris long doing this repair: https://youtu.be/1o49Ya-jEAA?t=3h55m00s

This has worked very well for me to fix this issue using the “Long Jumper” As for the question on the Iphone 7 plus chip, please tell me which one?

changed the upper antenna connector. lower antenna/dock/headphone 3 times. each time i replaced the lower, the network worked for a day or less. a darn shame. iphone 6 was too good to be true. Update (01/25/2017) darn it. this is possibly temporary but this worked. for now at least. and dont blame me if something else happens. i took the risk as well. anyhow. shut down phone. remove sim card. place phone in protective case. drop on a sturdy hard table onto its backside from 12 inches high. re-insert sim card. Boot up your phone and see that glorious LTE. its going to be awesome to wake up to “searching” “no service”. this is clearly a design flaw with the IC Chip that connects the antenna/networking system.

Have you tried resetting the time and date? Make sure you’re connected to wifi. Go to time and date settings, click set time and date automatically off then back on. Then restart the phone.

Hi all after some extensive research on the subject (constantly searching for signal ) you read all the forums and hey some will say it’s an antenna problem so you replace it with no joy others say it’s a time and date issue fixed with a manual edit yes it can be tedious as it will skip forward or back 10 years if you try to go to quick. Or someone else said replace the SIM card reader anyway you’ve done all of the above and still nothing. here is what I found!!start here! If you’ve ever removed a SIM card before you will notice that almost immediately the phone says no sim! But with a broken or damaged ic/baseband chip,without SIM card inserted, you will notice that your phone Never says no SIM card and when you do put one in it’s still searching only to continue forever. So then after all of this you think hey I’ll just update with iTunes wrong again because hey presto error-1 so then more research and apparently it’s the baseband chip causing the issue the whole time just had a quote of $85aus for parts and labour to repair it. If your thinking of trying to reflow it yourself or place it in the oven for 20 mins @180. consider the fact that for less than $100 you can have it repaired properly and a Pretty much new phone again if your still wanting more check out micro soldering or baseband chip repair on YouTube then decide yourself. Hope this helps and saves everyone else from the same headaches.

iPhone 6 Plus, been struggling with searching…/ No service for past few weeks. Tried this method and it works for my iPhone 6 Plus (suggested by “johnidx” on Feb 27, 2017 on iFIX forum)

  1. Power off your iPhone ( my is iPhone 6 Plus)
  2. Remove sim slot
  3. Place the iPhone on a soft padded surface, screen face down, and hit on the back of your iPhone few times
  4. Place your SIM card back and power up. And works for me so far If signal lost again, tried this method once more. Dropping my iPhone 6 Plus twice with soft shell case might be the root cause. Unfortunately with today’s feather weight smartphone designs, they are so tightly packed inside, dropping your iPhone basically is death sentence for the phone. Get a tough graded phone case if you want the phone last you long time.

These things don’t. Work it is a software problem and the way to fix it is to back your phone up delete your iPhone so it’s set up as new phone then reinstall your back up should solve problem for best results when reinstalling your back up use iTunes and a cable I did mine over wifi and it worked fine don’t drop your iPhone on a table you will just crack your screen

I had the same problem no service/searching. Unplugged battery and reconnected worked for about an hr. Same problem for a weeks time after research found out some chip “solder joints go bad” took a blow dryer high heat to heat shield under sim card for about 2 mins(with batt unplugged) let phone cool and now problem is resolved…for now at least. Going on 2 hrs.

if in General setting there is nothing written at Baseband version, seems to be dead baseband chip on logic board. You won’t do it at home, service only

Replacing bottom antenna with charge port fixed it for me.

you will have to change the chip on your phone, if you don’t understand . go on you tube and type up. iPhone no service. to acquire a chip i don’t know where you can buy it but if you do you will have to get a experience person the replace the chip

Yes, I don’t think it’s the dropping it that fixes it. It’s the removing the SIM card and replacing it that does it. My phone was searching all day, I figured I would try it first without the dropping part and it worked. Update: like someone said… wake up to see No Service !!! So I went to Verizon today and they said my phone is bent. And that I’m basically screwed. So I followed the same steps but didn’t drop it, instead I bent it back gently, replaced SIM card. So far so good. Ralph C.

you will probably have to replace the housing. This is very time consuming but it will probably fix your problem

I brought my iphone 6+ to Greenhills to Gerald Repair, first he tried to charged if for few minutes while doing on other phone..its not charging, its totally dead probably bec I keep on trying to fixed it my self removing sim and accidentally on the wi fi assist on 3G, connecting it to computer to itunes..diagnostic …and some other things charging even its grayed wifi…all the repair thing including knocking the back…dropping in pillow only…and he initially change the battery…it turn on …it was damaged by keep on operating and charging it under a grayed wifi and bluetooth searching condition… better turn it off and have wifi ic replaced…he saw the grayed wifi and aggreed to replace it cost 3,000 pesos and 1000 pesos for battery…in approcimate 1 hour it was repaired…he got fb account and on internet if you are looking for cellphone repair in Greenhills Shopping Center Philippines…it was 2 weeks ago and my iphone 6 plus works good…never been formatted…it was a 3 year old phone so I wish it last for more than 3 years…my advice if you got grayed wifi turn it off and have your wifi IC replaced you saved 1,000 pesos or 20$ for battery replacement…I"m not sure if the battery had a safety IC or fuse…it seems…my fathers iphone 5S shutdown last Sat 9-2-17…dead even with charger on… we brought it to Gerald and initially replaced the battery it turn On…the battery was damaged even though it was unnoticely bulged…so grayed wifi needs new wifi IC, apple store dont repair it, they want trade in and additional 22,000 pesos thats 440$…frustating why apple store cant repair their own product

im having this same problem, it wont find service.. I will take my screen off unhook the ribbon cables hook them right back up and then it will find service for about 20 mins, then its back off again.. anyone know what this could be?

I wonder how many of you keep your phone in your back pocket. I bet a bunch.